1. Technical Field
The technical field relates to a wafer separating apparatus for separating wafers bonded to a slicing base with an adhesive and a wafer separating method.
2. Background Art
Wafers, such as silicon wafers, are obtained by slicing a bulk material called an ingot into wafer slices. For obtaining wafers, an ingot is first fixed to a support material called a slicing base through an adhesive. The ingot fixed to the slicing base is sliced using a wire saw into wafers. Then, the wafers are separated from the slicing base to obtain individual wafers.
As shown in FIG. 1A, for separating wafers 60 from a slicing base 50, the slicing base 50 having the wafers 60 bonded thereto is immersed in water 15 to soften an adhesive 63 which fixes the wafers 60 to the slicing base 50. Thus, the wafers 60 are separated from the slicing base 50. The separated wafers 60 fall into a tray 40.
In another method, for separating wafers from a slicing base, applying hot air to an adhesive which bonds the wafers has been described (Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3149712).